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id04sp (anonymous) says...

Mustang Sally,

I purchased some bedding and appliances recently, with mixed results.

My bed, from an online store, was supposed to be delivered within 2 - 3 days. Ten days later, it finally arrived due to bad weather and switching carriers at the Denver terminal. RAC Transport in Steamboat had the final leg of the delivery, and they were extremely helpful and professional in their handling of the matter. So was the sales team at the online store. The original carrier from Chicago to Steamboat let part of the shipment get separated, but everything was found in good condition. I got a good deal from the online store and excellent service from RAC Transport once they finally got the stuff from the other carrier at the Denver terminal.

I also purchased a washer and dryer from the Sears catalog store and had them delivered from the store in town. The delivery guys were on time, courteous, careful, clean, properly dressed and well worth the cost, given where the stuff had to be hauled (down a snowy driveway and up a flight of stairs).

I recommend both RAC and Sears.

As for the online bedding store, they made promises they could not keep, but this was also their first delivery to my area. Their primary carrier violated its contract by handing the bedding off to another company and losing part of the shipment enroute, but they made good on it in the end and worked with me along the way. I got a great price on a memory foam kingsize bed (compared to anything you'd get around here), and it saved me a trip to Glenwood Springs (the closest place I've found with similar products in stock) to pick it up myself. I'd shop for bedding online again, but would be prepared for problems and be satisfied with the deal.

Steamboat is a very remote area by any standard. We have to expect problems with deliveries because of that, but purchasing with a credit card makes sure you can cancel the order and go elsewhere if you have problems.

UPS has also proven to be very reliable in the remote corners of the county. So has FEDEX and Airborne Express. I ordered a computer chip from Boston at 10 AM Steamboat time one day and had it by 2 PM the next day from Airborne.

One of the things you learn doing business in Steamboat is that when it comes to some sort of repair or installation, the service person may run into unique problems that have to be solved before they can go to the next appointment. You'd be surprised what you find if you go out to repair an ice maker or something like that, and have to deal with spec house plumbing and wiring or years of abuse by unskilled DIY types.

For example, you know that fancy in-tran heating system with the tubes buried in the concrete floor? That means the telephone or cable guy can't just drill a hole in it for a new jack.

Expect problems when you have to wait for somebody to come to you unless you KNOW you are #1 on the list for the day.

January 19, 2007 at 8:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )